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Polaris 2023 Team Chosen
We are happy to announce the team for the 2023 Polaris Project expedition to the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. We’ll be a crew of 20+ people, including 10 students (8 new undergraduates and 2 returning for another season) who were selected from a strong set of applicants.…
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2023 Polaris Application Materials
Please download the Instructions and complete the application online: Download Application Instructions (New Students) Download Application Instructions (Returning Students) Online Application Form Deadline to apply for new students is January 9, 2023. Deadline to apply for returning students in January 23, 2023.…
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Alumni: Apply to the John Schade Memorial Fund
The John Schade Memorial Fund is dedicated to Dr. John D. Schade. Dr. Schade passed away on March 26, 2021 after a long and distinguished career in research and education. John was passionate about educating the next generation of scientists, and was the heart of Woodwell’s Polaris Project, which integrates Arctic research and undergraduate education.…
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Polaris 2022 back in the field
The team for the 2022 Polaris Project expedition to the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta has been announced. We’ll be 20+ people strong, including 9 students (8 new students and 1 returning) who were primarily applicants selected for 2020, but unable to do field work in 2020 or 2021 due to Covid.…
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John Schade, in memoriam
Dr. John D. Schade, 54, died in his sleep at home on March 26, 2021, after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. John’s beautiful spirit, kindness, and enduring sense of humor in the face of such challenges will remain and inspire family and friends who knew and loved him throughout his life.…
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Summer 2021 update
Due to Covid-19 travel restrictions we will not be accepting new applications at this time. Please check back in September 2021 if you are interested in our 2022 program.…
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Summer 2020 update
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Polaris Project 2020 team’s travel season was cancelled to protect the health and wellbeing of both the students and Arctic inhabitants. The team did, however, meet virtually throughout the spring and summer months discussing various scientific, diversity, and justice topics.…
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Polaris 2020 team chosen
We are very excited to announce the team for the 2020 Polaris Project expedition to the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. We’ll be 20+ people strong, including 10 students (8 new undergraduates and 2 returning for another round) who were selected from a strong set of applicants.…
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At AGU, appreciating the unknown
I stepped off the plane in San Francisco at 9pm local time on Sunday December 8th but it felt like midnight to my east coast-programmed body. I was tired. It was the end of my semester at Bowdoin College, we were coming up on exams, east coast winter with its early darkness and biting cold had set in, and I was ready for a break.…
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Sailing & sampling slumps: Science on the tundra
Finally done with all of my sampling yesterday with the help of other DREAM TEAM (aquatic team) members featuring other beautiful souls! Yay! Today I can finally relax and take in this awesome experience. I have been thinking a lot about what to write about for this blog but I think I’ve waited too long and have accumulated soooo many memories that this blog could turn into a 10 page paper, so I’ll just highlight a few of my favorite memories with some context about the research I am doing.…
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Polaris students bonded by science, tundra experiences
When we got here, we barely knew each other. We had spent just a few days together, a training weekend in April, a day in Anchorage, and two in Bethel. Although upon our arrival we were already laughing together like friends, we only knew each other on a superficial level.…
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Two unforgettable weeks on a stunning landscape
As our time at the Polaris Project field camp in the YK Delta comes to an end, I’ve been reflecting on the past two weeks a lot. My knowledge of the Arctic tundra has increased exponentially since the first day we walked around camp observing the microtopography, cracking earth, soft moss patches, and numerous small lakes.…
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Unsettling heat, storms & smoke on the tundra
A few weeks ago, I wrote a blog in transit about the journey I was about to embark on to the tundra. In that fashion, I am now writing a blog reflecting on the journey as we begin the long trek back to Massachusetts.…
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Feeling the heat: Alaska Natives and the salmon they depend on
I was initially drawn to the Polaris project because of its focus on conducting field-based research about climate change in Alaska. The location, the YK Delta was the most important factor in my decision, since I am Alaska Native and my identity has always been the most influential factor in my decision to pursue a career in the sciences.…
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The joy of changing plans
For most of my peers and I, leaving for Alaska is a large change from our everyday norm. In fact, for many of us, it is our first time in this part of the world. Since arriving in Anchorage on June 25th, I have gained a much more intimate knowledge about this place than I ever thought imaginable.…
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